


What does it take?

by PawsitiveStars



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, They are older, don't pay attention to this fic, i relate to adrien on so many levels, it's literally for me to get out my feelings, no identity reveal just comfort, using this show
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 04:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8235791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PawsitiveStars/pseuds/PawsitiveStars
Summary: Chat’s jaw clenched and his eyes burned. I’m not going to cry. It’s a stupid thing to cry over. “Usually I’m the one who listens to what everyone has to say,” he whispered.“Well now it’s your turn to let it out,” Marinette crisscrossed her legs and faced him, giving him her full attention.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to everyone who feels like Adrien. Get ready for sadness...unless you've never had this problem then I'm glad you don't have to feel this way.

Soft rumbles of thunder rolled lazily across the dark grey Paris landscape.

Adrien looked up from his physics textbook and watched as the raindrops crept down the apartment window. Sighing, he turned his attention back to the book, only to shut it and set it off to the side of the white couch he sat on. He got up and made his way into the small kitchen behind him to grab a water bottle out of the fridge. Leaning back on the counter, he took a few sips then began thinking.

It’s been a year since Chat Noir and Ladybug had defeated Hawkmoth. Turned out, his father had been the villain all along. Adrien snickered to himself. He should have known beforehand it was him with all his bad luck and the way his father acted. All the signs were there.

Well, that was in the past and time moved on.

Pushing off of the counter and setting his water aside, he made his way into the bedroom to fetch Plagg. Adrien was eternally grateful that the black cat kwami had decided to stay with him, even if he wasn’t needed anymore. The apartment would get pretty lonely with only him to occupy it.

Gently prodding the kwami awake from his curled up position in the trash bin, a green eye cracked open to study him. Reading the look on the face of his chosen aroused him enough to get up. With a long stretch and a yawn, the kwami stayed silent as Adrien muttered the words, “transforme-moi.”

In a few leaps, the black cat hero made his way across the slick rooftops, no destination in particular. Only his thoughts kept him company.

After his father admitted what he did was wrong and that it was the only way to bring his mother back, he decided he needed some time to find himself again.

_“Adrien, I’m handing the company over to you until I feel well enough to come back.” Gabriel set his hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “You make me very proud and I’m glad to call you my son.”_

He left after that to never be seen or heard from again.

Chat slipped on a roof tile, a small curse escaping his lips. Regaining his balance, he stood overlooking the landscape clenching his fists and breathing heavy.

Why did all the responsibility have to fall on his shoulders? He never asked to be the leader of a worldwide known fashion company. He didn’t know the first thing about how to run a business, let alone a major empire, especially when he’s barely in his twenties! Dreams of having a family by now with a job he enjoyed doing came to a sudden halt. Still his father controlled him, even if he hasn’t been in contact in the past year.

He had no one else to turn to. There was no immediate family who lived near him, so Nathalie was the only closest person besides his bodyguard. Then all his friends he made back in lycee grew up and went their separate ways, the only one close enough being Marinette, who had started working for him as an intern while helping out in her parents bakery.

Marinette. Chat smiled as the rain began to pour, drenching his hair and trickling down his suit. She had gotten better at talking to him as the days went on but still had trouble speaking sometimes around him. He never figured out why. She was as sweet as the pastries she made at the bakery and always offered to be there for him when he needed someone.

The smile disappeared as he thought of someone else who was like that. When they defeated his father, Ladybug told him she was no longer going to continue since she had her future to focus on. He pleaded with her to share their identities, but she refused and ran away before he could tell her anything.

Now he prowled the streets at night, mostly to find a small escape from his busy life, but really he hoped one of those nights he would be able to find her. No such luck.

Making his way towards Notre Dame, he spotted a couple walking along the Seine hand in hand, sharing a black umbrella. Furrowing his eyebrows together, he watched on with yearning. When they went in for a kiss, he was already back running along the roofs.

What he would give just to be with his lady again.

Not paying attention to what he was doing, Chat suddenly walked out onto thin air and felt his stomach drop as he fell.

Then he promptly crashed in a heap on someone’s balcony.

“Ouch...” the hero muttered as he sat up and rubbed his elbow.

The sound of a door creaking caused Chat to whirl his head around and stare into the curious blue eyes of Marinette. She was in red pajamas with her hair down, so she was probably getting ready to go to bed when he suddenly showed up unannounced.

“Chat Noir?” she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Princess.” Chat stated. He wasn’t in his usual flirtatious mood as he sat on the floor with slumped shoulders, drenched from the rain that continued to pound against him.

The young designer studied his depressed posture for a moment then decided on something. “What are you doing out in the rain? You’re going to catch a cold.” Marinette scolded. “Get in here so you can dry off and warm up a little.” With that she disappeared, leaving the trapdoor open just a crack.

Chat contemplated for a moment, wanting to sulk in his misery by himself but decided against it as he got up and made his way over.

Slipping inside, he landed on her bed where a fluffy pink towel lay underneath him. Interested, Chat looked at it.

“I didn’t want my bed to get all wet when you landed your soaked self on it” Marinette spoke next to him, then handed over another pink towel.

“Didn’t you always want a water bed?” he joked half-heartedly, taking it.

She gave him an unamused look. “Still the punning cat I see. Some things never change,” she shook her head and sighed.

Chat furrowed his brows. “Is that a bad thing?” he asked quietly, sounding hurt.

Marinette’s eyes widened. “Woah, hey I didn’t mean it like that!” She frantically waved her arms around then pursed her lips. “I was only playing around with you. Is there something wrong?”

Still clutching the towel in his hands, he stared down at it with a downcast expression. “…no.”

Scooting closer, Marinette grabbed one of his hands and with the other, turned his head towards her to look him in the eye. “Don’t lie to me.”

He watched her for a moment, studying those intense blue eyes, and then turned away again. “I don’t want to burden you. Besides, when was the last time we interacted? A year or so ago? Why would you want to listen to my problems?” Gripping the towel tighter, he fought back the tears that were threatening to appear.

She stared at him disbelievingly. “Because I’m here for _anyone_ who needs help. Which means,” she jabbed him in the chest with her finger, “you included. That’s the kind of person I am.” Her hard tone turned softer. “It’s not good to bottle up your emotions. I’m here to listen.”

Chat’s jaw clenched and his eyes burned. _I’m not going to cry. It’s a stupid thing to cry over_. “Usually I’m the one who listens to what everyone has to say,” he whispered.

“Well now it’s your turn to let it out,” Marinette crisscrossed her legs and faced him, giving him her full attention.

Mindlessly, he toyed with a stray string on the towel, looking down at his feet on the floor. He was starting to dry off and the warm atmosphere of her room had him feeling safe enough to open up. Unbeknownst to him, it was the day his dam of emotions was going to burst.

“I just,” Chat began as a lump formed in his throat and it became hard to speak, “I’m just so _lonely_.” Wrapping his arms around the towel and holding it close to him, he stared off into her room. “Do you know what it’s like, to see people happy and having a good time with someone they love and not know how it feels?”

He looked over at her as his voice began to rise slightly. “To continue with your life wondering, _waiting_ , for that special person to finally show up and love you until the end of their days?” Chat swallowed, his eyes glossing over. “I want to know how it feels, to have that person hold you in their arms as you listen to their heartbeat, to get random kisses throughout the day, or receive a flower from them because they thought of you,” Tears started streaking down his mask as he inhaled shakily, “All I ever do is dream of those kinds of simple things. I’m not even asking for much!”

Chat let out a sob and furiously wiped his eyes. Suddenly, slim arms wrapped around him, giving a sideways hug.

The floodgates have opened causing the hero to pour out his heart. “I’m twenty-one years old and I haven’t even been on a date. Time is just passing me by as I go to work, study hard in school, and try to deal with the problems life throws at me. Nothing is happening, so I’m starting to lose hope on finding that person.” Chat trailed off as he sniffled. His heart hurt and his body trembled slightly.

Quietly, Marinette spoke from his shoulder. “Isn’t there anyone out there you like and want to be with?”

He responded in a dejected voice. “There was one person…who used to be my best friend. She was the only one whom I ever loved. But she’s moved on with her life and doesn’t know me like she used to.”

Shifting his body to face her as Marinette let go of him, he asked in a hushed whisper, “Is there something wrong with me? Am I just… _not good enough?_ ” the last part was strained as more tears fell down.

Wiping away some tears of her own that escaped, Marinette then held his arm in a firm grip and looked him dead in the eye. “There is absolutely _nothing_ wrong with you. Fate has plans for your future but you have to be _patient_. Good things come to those who wait.” She let go and patted his arm.

Running his claws through his hair, Chat let out a frustrated huff of air. “I have been patient long enough. I just can’t stand it anymore to see everyone getting married and having children while I’m left behind wondering if it’s ever going to happen to me,” he growled. “I feel as though I’m running out of time and before I know it, it will be too late.”

Marinette grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “You still have your whole life ahead of you. There will be plenty of opportunities and chances to find and be with that person. _Give_ _it time._ Don’t waste your life away thinking about it and miss precious moments. It will be when you least expect it that what you have been looking for will arrive.”

Chat sagged in a defeated manner and returned his gaze to the floor. He felt the pang of longing run through his chest as he breathed unevenly. “I only ask for one thing,” he murmured.

After a pause, fresh tears sprang to his eyes. “What am I doing wrong?” His voice steadily rose again. “What does it take to finally find that missing piece, to make me feel whole and complete? What do I have to do to get it? Is there anyone even out there waiting for someone like me?!” he cried, putting his face in his hands.

He whimpered. “…I just want to be loved.”

Marinette brought his head down to lie in the crook of her neck as she hugged him firmly.

Gripping her shirt as if his life depended on it, Chat wept.

“I’m so sc-ared,” Chat’s voice broke as he sobbed. “I-I don’t want to be alone f-for the rest of my life.”

“You’re never going to be alone,” Marinette promised.

“I’ll always be here for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you couldn't tell this fic is literally based off of me. Yeah I tried mixing some of the shows aspects into it (to maybe add onto it if i feel it could go somewhere later), but I just needed to get this out, even though i feel its not everything.  
> Most days I'm Adrien but when it comes to my friends I am all Marinette.  
> 


End file.
